Odisha Gears Up for Rural By-Elections on June 23; SEC Releases Detailed Schedule

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Election Commission has announced the schedule for by-elections to fill several vacant posts across rural local bodies, setting the stage for polls to be held on June 23. The vacancies include key grassroots positions such as Sarpanchs and Ward Members, which have fallen vacant due to resignations, deaths, disqualifications, or de-reservation of seats.

As per the official notification, by-elections will be conducted for 43 Sarpanch posts and 272 Ward Member seats. Voting will be held from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM on June 23, with the counting of votes and result declaration scheduled for June 24.

The process of filing nominations will begin on May 26 and conclude on May 31, excluding government holidays. Candidates will be allowed to submit their nominations at designated election offices within the specified timeframe.

The Model Code of Conduct has been enforced in the relevant constituencies from May 20 and will remain effective until the completion of the election process on June 24. Following the counting of votes, the final results will be submitted to the State Election Commission on June 25.

The names of the newly elected representatives will be officially published in the Odisha Gazette on June 26. Officials from the Chief Electoral Officer’s office confirmed that all necessary arrangements are underway to ensure a fair and peaceful election process across the affected districts.